The Irish standard., 1887-07-30

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charge? He went to the workshop
drunk, he hung his hat up in a strange
pl &c and it fell down into a tub of
valuable liquid, spelling it. Was that
good case to make fight on l think
not. While Mr.. Powderly was speaking
a drunken man tottered down the othe,
side of the street and passed by the door
of a house in which small watch dog
sat upright. Look. ''sa1d he, :'there is
a good case in point. A strong, able
bodied man with God given senses and
dog with brute instincts. Which is
the more valuable at this time say
the dog. Lacking human intelligence,
he sits there guarding the house. He
is watchful of his own safety and of
the safety of much valuable property. He
is alert and ready to protect both. The
man is not only hereft OF his senses, but
he could not even protect himself if he
tried. Hisintellectlal or physical attain
ments would not at this time avail him
anything against the dog, AS have
said before, the rum habit is one of our
greatest enemies. and until we getit un-
der control we will lhavean uphill strug-
Gle to sustain our principles. aeny that
( am an autoc at, but in one thing wish
I could be. Ii my word should be law
there would he no intemperance, and
with no more intemperance there would
soon be fewer labor troubles"
''Do you concede the right of an en-
ployer to employ and discharge whom
he pleases ?''
81 do. knew chat there are many in
the order who do not. This has been one
of the knottiest questions we have had
to contend with. but it is now being uni
versally admitted to be just. If l was
an employer, see how would strive to
make the most money out of the work
done by my employees, with my present
feeling toward workingmen, I would
do them no injustice, bnt yet it would
be natural to desire to control the
business and make it pay. Thus far I
can 60 in fairness to the other side but
when employers turn monopolists and
compel workmen to stay in their en-
ploy at an numerically low compen-
saJion or bid accept the other alter
starvation, I must object, and
so must all other sensible men. Because
in attempting TO reach fair conclusion
I look at both sides of labor question,
I am very often charged With favoring
the capitalists. Such accusations, how
ever, are not only untrue, but ridi-
culously unreasonable. A man who
does not understand the position Of his
antagonist fights from his own stand
point blindly, and with no idea of the
power opposing him"
'Do you favor the master workman
selecting his own cabinet and conduct
ing executive business of the order
after the manner Of the President of
the United States F?
''It it would lessen the duties OF the
general master workman and give him
more room for thought and executive
work would heartily favor it. The pro-
position to give the the master workman
the right to select his cabinet, in lieu of
the general executive board, has many
supporters in the order. I advocate it
for my successor. It would give him
freedom to execute his plans, and it
would promote discipline. AS it is now,
the master workman is held responsible
for almost everything thatis unsatisfac-
tory to some body, and yet he may be in
California when the action complained
of is taken. At the Richmond convention
l felt the necessity of nominating
at least one man who had been faithful
to me under previous terms-that was
John w. Hayes. kenw him to be a
good man and I advocated his election.
He was loyal friend and a most
faithful and competent assistant. He
suits the position of secretary of the
board better than any man know. Like
all of us he has enemies and some were
even unkind enough to charge him with
aspirationsfor the general master work
Hayes no more asplres to
the place than the man in the moon.
He is a true knight and wish there
were more like him. Without him
ON the board [ do not know what
would do" Mr.. Powderly said fur.
ther that he firmly believed the day of
strikes aud lockouts was drawing to an
end. Education, temperance and bene
ticial legislation were all tending to an
in the social conditions.
On the question of immigration
MIR. Powderly said he had not yet com
pleted his Investigations and would not
be ready for some time to make his final
recommendations. He was satisfied
that the great numbers of poor emigrants
leaving the old country for these shores
were not doing much to improve the
S condition here. If II 900
people were to land N England in one
lay, he said, the residents Of that coun-
Try would be apt to call it an invasion.
It was clear the working people of this
country were being made to suffer
under such ''lnvasions." He wanted |
TO stop this in such way as to in
lure no one and vet protect the !
home interests. If the people abroad
could be taught to sustain themselves
and could secure rights and privileges |
1.